Introducing The right to be properly researched: How to do rights-based, scientific research with children A 10-manual boxed set World Vision Norwegian Centre for Child Research Knowing Children

Aims How to and Can do guidance for research with children How to and Can do guidance for research with children Empower children (and adults) to find out about their own lives Empower children (and adults) to find out about their own lives Put scientific, replicable information, from children and about children, in the hands of policy makers and programmers Put scientific, replicable information, from children and about children, in the hands of policy makers and programmers

A new concept in publishing Ten, easy-to-use manuals in a boxed set Ten, easy-to-use manuals in a boxed set Linked to password-access website materials Linked to password-access website materials –Articles –Capacity-building workshop exercises –Research tools –Ethical tools –Numerical examples –Links

What do we mean Rights-based?

The right to be properly researched

The right to be properly researched United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 12: Opinion Article 12: Opinion Article 13: Expression Article 13: Expression Article 3: Standards Article 3: Standards Article 36: Exploitation Article 36: Exploitation Basic principles of dignity and respect

Childrens right to be properly researched means Participation of children (including as researchers) Participation of children (including as researchers) Appropriate methods for use with children Appropriate methods for use with children Scientific method - systematic Scientific method - systematic Ethical behaviour of adults Ethical behaviour of adults

What do we mean Scientific?

Systematic curiosity Look firstLook first Involve peopleInvolve people Ask questions afterwardsAsk questions afterwards Quantitative is not better than qualitativeQuantitative is not better than qualitative –There is no valid distinction –Without words, nothing can be counted –Numbers on their own mean nothing

Systematic collection and analysis of qualitative data Results in Scientific numbers Scientific numbers Childrens own voices Childrens own voices

Manual 1: Where do we start? Explains Explains –The rights-based approach to research with children –and how it relates to other research approaches

Children can participate in research at any stage and any age

Manual 2 How do we protect children? Explains –The ethical rules –and ethical methods that are necessary in all research with children

Ethical issues in research with children Do no harm Do no harm Protect children Protect children Agree on interventions Agree on interventions Do not put children at risk Do not put children at risk Do not exploit adult power Do not exploit adult power Confidentiality Confidentiality Voluntary participation (informed consent/refusal) Voluntary participation (informed consent/refusal)

Manual 3 How can we be good researchers with children? Provides information necessary for training Provides information necessary for training So that all researchers So that all researchers And stakeholders And stakeholders Are fully equipped to work with children Are fully equipped to work with children

For example: Research-methods and design workshops for World Vision and NOSEB facilitated by Knowing Children

By the end of training workshops, researchers: –Understood the principles of research with children, including ethical issues and procedures –Had contributed to the development of a researchers manual, containing all research tools and procedures –Had been trained on using the manual to collect data

Manual 4 What do we know already and what do we want to know? Explains Secondary data analysis How to decide – –Research topics – –Research questions

Manual 5 How are we going to find out? Explains Explains –Research methods –How to choose methods –How to design tools –How to pilot tools

For example: Group drawings

Individual work

Body map

Migration map

Manual 6 How can we get the best data? Guidance on Guidance on Researchers manual Researchers manual Research planning Research planning Research management. Research management.

A researchers manual will contain Research aims, questions and plan Research aims, questions and plan Ethical procedures and tools (for use with both children and adults) Ethical procedures and tools (for use with both children and adults) –Confidentiality –Informed consent –How to deal with ethical dilemmas Research tools such as Research tools such as –Standard observation sheet –Childrens individual drawings –Body map for groups of children –List of wants, hopes and fears (individual children) –Migration map for groups of children –Attitude survey for individual children and adults –Protection tool for children

Manual 7 How do we count data? Evaluating research methods Evaluating research methods Preparing data for Preparing data for –Numerical analysis –Thematic analysis

Manual 8 What do numbers mean? Shows how to Analyse numbers Analyse words Analyse words and numbers together Compare and contrast results from different tools and groups (triangulation) Answer research questions

Manual 9 How do we write the report? Guidance on Writing clear reports about research results For a variety of readers – –Including children

Manual 10 Research dictionary Easy reference dictionary Easy reference dictionary Clarifies the meanings of research terms as they are used in the rights-based approach Clarifies the meanings of research terms as they are used in the rights-based approach

Rights-based Any form of work with human beings that is based in international human-rights law and practice. Research Purposeful, systematic scientific information gathering and analysis to satisfy curiosity or examine a problem.

Thank you All photographs and data shown in this presentation were collected after informed consent had been sought and obtained © Knowing Children Photographs: Tatek Abebe, Judith Ennew, Thanakorn Noonsup and World Vision Laos